Overview of immigrant worker occupational health and safety for the agriculture, forestry, and fishing (AgFF) sector in the southeastern United States

Abstract

This report addresses how best to define the population and the AgFF Sector, occupational exposures for the sector, data limitations, characteristics of immigrant workers, reasons for concern for immigrant workers in the AgFF Sector, regulations, a conceptual model for occupational health, and directions for research and intervention.

“The Only Thing I Wish I Could Change Is That They Treat Us Like People and Not Like Animals”: Injury and Discrimination Among Latino Farmworkers

“…Some, like Liebman et al 19 and Rosenbaum et al 39 suggest that the combination of failed policies and negligent workplace safety culture are implicated in the health of Latino workers. Additionally, a group of studies conducted in North Carolina by Arcury and colleagues 8,40,41 indicate that sub-standard conditions, little access to healthcare, and migrant lifestyles where workers travel across the country from job to job are examples of how workers fall though the cracks of policies that do not protect them. One way in which farmworkers remain unaided by health policies meant to protect vulnerable employees is that workers' compensation is not uniformly available for migrant and seasonal farmworkers because coverage varies by state.…”

Lessons Learned from Data Collection as Health Screening in Underserved Farmworker Communities

“…12 Furthermore, health care providers may be constrained by limited translation services and lack of cultural awareness. 13 According to the National Agricultural Workers…”

Discourse on culture in research on immigrant and migrant workers’ health

“…Forty‐six articles (43%) discussed health and safety risks and responses in cultural terms, with cultural factors commonly hypothesized to shape the risk of injury or illness . For example, Rosenbaum et al write, in the context of their study showing that upper musculoskeletal injuries are common among immigrant Latino workers, that “Activities outside of the workplace in this culturally and socioeconomically uniform group could be similar and possibly account for the lack of differences in injury rates.” (p232) At other times, culture was said or theorized to influence perceptions or experiences of working conditions and physical and psychosocial hazards:

“Among the Chinese workers, many associated this lack of control with showing respect for their clients … Obeying the client's instructions was, therefore, not considered as a lack of control but as part of their cultural norms.” (p479)

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“…Thirty‐two articles (30%) mentioned culture in relation to health and safety training, education, outreach or intervention. Most of these articles noted the challenges stemming from cultural differences and the need for or examples of culturally appropriate programs, with language and culture often mentioned together in this regard. In some cases, researchers advocated modifying workers’ attitudes and behaviors such as enhancing workers’ cultural skills, establishing and communicating proper conduct for employees, putting in place “An intervention for assertive communication skills such as disagreeing or refusing requests,” (p211) and deconstructing the “hardworking Latino” stereotype for day labourers and employers .…”